I am a fast reader.
A fast, obsessive reader.
For those of you who may not know, I read the first six Harry Potter books in a span of five days. I finished the seventh Harry Potter book in one night. I was a waste of a wife wandering around muttering spells under my breath, feeling like an utter squib because none of them worked.
My sister in law got all three Stephanie Meyer books for her birthday. I started the first one Friday night and finished the third one Sunday afternoon.
I have serious problems.
I need your help people.
I need books to read.
Please keep in mind that I am a bit prudish when it comes to violence and several four letter words. (I know, me? prudish? silly, I know.)
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You guys?
ARE AWESOME.
I have taken all of your suggestions (left out the ones I’ve already read) and made a fancy schmancy list over at LibraryThing. Feel free to use it too. Because I? I have the best readers ever.
Without further adieu…the books that will be occupying all my time and it’s all your fault.
http://www.librarything.com/jswidget.php?reporton=mooshinindy&show=random&header=&num=75&covers=small-fixed-width&text=none&onlycovers=1&tag=alltags&css=1&style=5&version=1
making unbreakable - formerly moosh in indy. 
I hear you girl, I too, am a fast reader. I tended some kiddos overnight. I found a paperback on the mom’s night table. Despite the threat of a five a.m. wake up call from a 9 month old, I couldn’t help reading that sucker straight through. I really enjoyed it, though. It was Lily and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.
Barb’s last blog post..Christmas 2007
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yeah, i’m obsessive-compulsive like that too.
try “water for elephants” (sara gruen) or either of joshilyn jackson’s books (gods in alabama and between, georgia).
i have more if you’d like 😉
janet’s last blog post..Haiku Friday: the family insanity edition
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oh, and “the time traveler’s wife” (cant remember the author… audrey something starting with an n)
janet’s last blog post..Haiku Friday: the family insanity edition
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My best friend is the same way. The good thing is that I have lots of books to choose from when we go on vacation… she usually finishes her first one on the plane 😉
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Oh yes, I just read Eat Pray Love… but I get the feeling she uses four letter words, though my sailor sounding mind can’t remember. I am also reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. Gives a WONDERFUL glimpse into life in Afghanistan before the Taliban, and after. Not gruesome either… at least not yet… I’m 3/4 of the way finished.
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On my blog’s right sidebar, I listed all the books I read in 2007, along with a rating, 1-5 stars. So um I’m going to lazy and just direct you to that list – anything with 4 or 5 stars is worth your time.
Anth’s last blog post..QT Time with My Family*
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I agree with the recommendations of The Time Travellers Wife and Water for Elephants….ditto on A Thousand Splendid Suns.
A book I just finished that I LOVED is called Love Walked In….the best writing and story and darn, I can’t remember the author, but you can find it easy on Amazon.
Now, here’s the really COOL part. I live in Indy (a northern suburb of Indy), I’d be happy to let you browse my vast ‘library’ and borrow any books you’d like.
Have The T-Shirt’s last blog post..Busy Season
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If you like children’s books in the age range of Harry Potter. Try Inkspell and Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.
I loved those even better than Harry Potter. *gasp*
Can’t wait until the third one comes out.
Sasha’s last blog post..She can see clearly now
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Loved “Star of the Morning” by Lynn Kurland. Next book in the series due this month. She has a ton of other books.
Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo. Similar to Harry Potter but very different, in the juvenille section.
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Hi, that book I told you about…the guy whose wife committed suicide…did you go back to Indy yet? Come get it before you do. Kiss, kiss.
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i feel you girl! Nora Roberts’ In the Garden trilogy is fantastic…also, the shopaholic series will leave you in stitches.
i can loan you both collections if you like!
Biddy’s last blog post..I’ve Got 287 Unread Items On My Reader….
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Shannon Hale’s books. S Mayer has gone off before about how hale is her favorite author. She’s got 5 or 7 books out and they are fabulous reads. You’d have them all done in a few days but oh well you’d be singing praises because she’s so awesome!
Angela’s last blog post..Day three
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See and I thought I was bad finishing HP 7 in two days. Granted I had to function at some level. And the three twilight books…took three 24 hour periods total. Because again, we gotta function….right? 😉
Angela’s last blog post..Day three
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Thanks for these suggestions, I’m too lazy to post my own recommendations, mostly because when i read a book I read it so fast that usually I can read it again a few months later, and not realize I already read it once before.
Laura’s last blog post..Things I’ve learned
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Eat Pray Love
Anything from Philippa Gregory
Book of Ruth
Any Wally Lamb
David Sedaris
If you like the kid’s series books…A Series of Unfortunate Events.
~JJ!’s last blog post..Before you go…
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Sounds like we have similar taste in books (a little romance is OK but no smut and nothing violently graphic please LOL)and looking through the other posts I can second several and add a few:
Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (sic)
Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella (hilarious!)
Like Water for Chocolate
The Bean Trees
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Secret Life of Bees
I found a couple books at Barnes and Noble in the ChickLit/Christian section and grabbed these:
Midnight Sea by Colleen Coble
These Boots Weren’t Made for Walking by Melody Carlson
I haven’t read them yet but they sound great.
I also like Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber for quick romantic reads. Both of which take it easy on the smut scale. Not sure when I became such a prude. It kind of snuck up on me!
I read so much that for the life of me I can never remember what I’ve read!
Liz’s last blog post..The First Dance
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Hmmm…
Well, the Harry Potter books and the Stephanie Meyer books are by far some of my FAVORITES! I’m patiently waiting for the next Meyer book.
Have you read Wicked? and the other Gregory Maguire books? I just purchased the beginning of a series called Uglies by Scott Westerfeld… but I haven’t started them yet… just came in the mail yesterday. But… they’re supposed to be good (“bestselling series”)
Colleen’s last blog post..How do you follow that?
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Ditto on Philippa Gregory. I just read The Other Boleyn Girl and it was awesome. I just checked out a mommy chick lit book, Mommy Track’d, but so far I can’t get into it. I did love the first Shopaholic book.
I’ve heard great things about Water for Elephants….that’s on my must read list for this year. I’ve also heard great things about Eat, Pray, Love.
I also read The Mermaid Chair last year and really enjoyed it. One of my all time favorite books is Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
You know what I like to do (nerd confessional here.) I love to look up a book I really enjoyed on Amazon and then see what other books are recommended.
Jamie’s last blog post..Haiku Friday: Ode to a Turd and a Plea to Britney
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Ok, here’s some excellent ones, though I can’t be sure there’s no 4 letter words. But I also don’t like anything with violence….
The Glass Castle by Janette Walls
Life of Pi by Yann Martel (hard to get into, but religious themes EVERYWHERE… fascinating)
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb (an all-time fav)
Anything by Jodi Picoult
Anything by Barbara Kingsolver (I think she’s my all time fav author)
Memiors of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards
Anything by Ruth Reichl (really good food-lit… a genre I never would’ve thought I would like)
That ought to get you started…
Also, you do know about ordering “new and used” books from Amazon, right? I get lots of books for under $1, plus shipping… so about $5/book- not bad!
Marie Green’s last blog post..Your Stories
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Also, Eat, Pray, Love was excellent, as everyone is saying…
Marie Green’s last blog post..Your Stories
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Marian Keyes books- great humor, a touch of sadness and empathy, but lots and lots of smiling to yourself moments. Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, Rachel’s Holiday, Watermelon, Is Anybody Out There (bring kleenez), etc.
For fun, mindless, escapist, beach reading- Sophie Kinsella. She wrote the Shopaholic series and others.
Classics- Erik Segal’s Love Story- you’ll be crying buckets. It’s way better than the movie.
I like Nora Roberts, too- the MacGregor Brides and those types- and Judith McNaught for a good romantic love story, but like Liz said, I don’t know when I got prudish, but the sex scenes kind of embarrass me now. They used to be the biggest thrill I got!
Amy C.’s last blog post..Recovery Mode
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I know the feeling, I start reading a good book and I can barely stop or function until I’m through. I’m reading the Red Tent by Anita Diamant right now and it’s wonderful.
For “bubblegum” books I love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series (at least 12 books). She’s really funny and they’re quick reads, although there are a few four letter words it’s not super smutty.
Heather’s last blog post..Resolutions
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I second Life of Pi.
Also, Jodi Picoult could keep you busy for a week or two.
Stimey’s last blog post..So Happy to Have Boys
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I’m a fast reader, too, but lately haven’t been all that inspired and so have just been re-reading some older books on the shelf (because though I can read a book in a day, I don’t feel like that gets me my $ worth, so I tent to re-read books over and over…)
Like other commenters have said, Eat Pray Love is quite good… Could last you an afternoon 😉
Z’s last blog post..Wait a minute…
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My sister and I have the same problem–although mine has lessened with three kids who demand attention sometimes–how dare they-don’t they know I am reading!! Her hubby is making her clean out their clutter so she is sending me two boxes full of books. Good luck finding yours. I like Mary Higgins Clark, if you haven’t read her yet.
Erin’s last blog post..Spidermen Three
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I vote for Life of Pi. Also Time Traveler’s Wife.
For a fun fast read, the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books are great.
And although I love Philippa Gregory’s books, I have to say that The Other Boleyn Girl was my least fave. I preferred The Boleyn Inheritance, but really, you have to read all of them to get the full tale.
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I also LOVED A Thousand Splendid Suns. It’s my new favorite book. It completely opened my eyes to a world I never knew anything about, and a few days after I finished it, I felt like I hadn’t talked to these two sisters I had in days….that’s how close I felt to the two women in the book.
The Red Tent is also very good. It’s told by Dinah (the only girl born to Jacob–Old Testament). Of course it’s fictional, but it’s so well written, the biblical story starting melding into this one.
They aren’t really violent–but there is some sex in both…not sure about your “prudish-ness”.
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Ooh, Liz and JJ’s picks are great.
You must read Time Traveller’s Wife. It’s my favorite book. I’m in the middle of The Glass Castle and I can’t put it down either. I also loved White Teeth, On Beauty, The Joy Luck Club and a ton more.
If you’re looking for something funny, try any of the Vinyl Cafe books by Stuart McLean, the Shopaholic series, or David Sedaris’ essays.
Let us know if you found anything good.
andi’s last blog post..The New Year’s Ear Infection Fairy
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I just started Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Chabon. Could you read it fast and let me know if it’s good? Thanks.
Running With Scissors was an interesting memoir of a crazy childhood. Just read it for book club.
Life of Pi is great IF you have someone to talk to about it afterwards!
Wendy’s last blog post..7 random things about Wendy
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If you haven already, go back in time and read some classics. Don Quijote by Cervantes, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez. As far as kid’s books, I enjoyed the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.
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Another vote for The Time Traveler’s Wife, Water for Elephants, The Glass Castle, and The Secret Life of Bees. I could read 24/7 if I had the chance.
There is a website called LibraryThing that is really great. It’s free, and you enter books that you have read. Then it compares the books in your list that you have in common with other people, and gives you a list of 100 recommendations. Very cool.
Sue’s last blog post..Hips Don’t Lie (but my Driver’s License does)
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You’ll blow through them, but I absolutely adore the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Available Right Here
There are more books available now that aren’t in that boxed set. I love them all.
kerflop’s last blog post..Sideblog: A woman from the inside out
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Okay I LOVE this author Wanda E. Brunstetter start with the storekeepers daughter. and go from there, sooo good.
Liam Craig’s last blog post..Christmas ’07
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The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing. My favorite book.
She Likes Purple’s last blog post..Birthdays: Better than Veronica Mars
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I eat books too, that’s why I read Russian literature. It can be complicated, forcing you to slow to a more normal pace.
lora’s last blog post..nieces to pieces
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If you want books that are really funny and no sex or violence, you have to read Phillip Gulley’s “Home to Harmoney” series.
He’s a local author (Avon, Indiana) who writes about a fictional town in Indiana (Harmony) that he grew up in and returns to as a Quaker Minister. The stories are fictional (yea, I bet!) tales surrounding growing up in this small town and the townsfolks, his family and his congregation.
Seriously uplifting books, with great wisdom and humor sprinkled throughout.
Have The T-Shirt’s last blog post..No Wonder It’s So Difficult!
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Have you read the Narnia series? I loved those books. I also just finished His Dark Materials, which didn’t have a lot of violence in it, but it is a pretty controversial book. I, however, loved it and view it as fiction so it didn’t bother me. It was a really good series.
Karly’s last blog post..Conversations
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For juvenile literature, try the Fablehaven series. I thought it was cute and quick. I second the recommendation for Shannon Hale as well. Very well done.
I love to read and read quickly, but my kids are just not cooperating lately. I can’t wait until the weather is pleasant to go sit on my butt outside while the kids run around!
Micki’s last blog post..This always happens
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I think Kimmie is talking about Dogs of Babel. I could not put that book down. Good things it’s short.
Nth-ing The Time Traveler’s Wife. Just make sure you have at least a day free because you won’t want to stop reading it. I also like Jennifer Weiner’s books for chick-lit.
I really like the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. There is some weirdo sex stuff at the end of the first book, and maybe in some of the others too. I just skip over it, so I completely forgot about it when I loaned the first book to a devoutly Baptist friend. AWKWARD.
Other than that, you’ve got to get yourself some Jane Austen. She’s so funny once you’re looking for it.
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I haven’t read through all your other comments yet (I will to see if there are any good books I might like), but I really like Tracie Peterson books. She usually has 3 book series. They’re pretty easy reading, so you could read a series in a day or two if you read that fast. I love to read too, but I’m too easily distracted so I don’t read as fast as I could. Right now I’m re-reading all the Chronicles of Narnia books. I say re-reading, because it’s been years. But I honestly can’t remember if I read more than the first book. The movie of the 2nd book – Prince Caspian- is coming out this spring, so I decided to catch up.
Mommy Daisy’s last blog post..Boring or good?
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Oh my goodness. I can’t believe I didn’t get to this post sooner, because, you know, I work in a bookstore. And while your other readers seem to have done a commendable job with their recommendations, I insist that you also read Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski. And if you like Harry Potter, you’ll probably also enjoy the Abhorsen trilogy (Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen) by Garth Nix. And Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle trilogy, starting with A Great and Terrible Beauty. I could go on, but I’ll stop, since you’ve got so many good ones on your list already.
Amber’s last blog post..Side Effects May Include
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You read like I do.
I read the 7th HP in about 4 hours. My husband says I’m an alien.
I’m totally going to snag some of those books off of your list!
Great idea!! I read way too quickly.
rachel’s last blog post..They Call Him The Streak
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time traveller’s wife
love in the time of cholera
FANTASTIC books.
ps…i’m a huge reader…i do it for a living (mind you, i read 5th grade books for a living..) but i LOVE to read and can give you about 150 recommendations if you want…
ali’s last blog post..help me…and i will reward you with treats
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Oh, and also–also!–Empire Falls by Richard Russo. Some physical violence, but not until the end. And Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. Absolutely beautiful.
And now I’m walking away from the computer.
Amber’s last blog post..Side Effects May Include
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Hubby turned me on to this website where you type in recent books you’ve read, and it tells you what you should read next. Tried it, and it was pretty cool.
http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/
Happy reading!
Rachel Nau’s last blog post..You Can’t Take Down Other People’s Kids
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I think that’s probably the number of books I’ve read in the last 10 years….please tell me these will last you a while!
Oh yeah…and babysitting…just let me know…
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“My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult or, my all-time favorite, which is sometimes hard to find, “To See You Again: A True Story of Love in a Time of War” by Betty Schimmel.
Read ’em and weep. Read them OR weep. Same difference…
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Not that it looks like you need any more to your list… but Jan Karon’s books about Mitford are great, I also obsess over husband and wife novelists Jonathan and Faye Kellerman.
Reese’s last blog post..BRIDEZILLA!!!!
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Darn! Well, if you weren’t anti-violence and 4-letter words, Stuart Woods and James Patterson are awesome. But, how about some good old Nora Roberts, Danielle Steele? Just because there are a gazillion of them. Also, Cleo Coyle, Victoria Laurie…
pgoodness’s last blog post..Dorkdog
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With the list of what you’ve read and what you want to read check out Jasper Fford’s Thursday Next Books. Starting with the Eyre Affair. I’ve read his the same way I read Stephanie Meyer…a book a day. If you love literature, good narrative and witty writing I’m sure you’ll enjoy them. Thanks for putting your list together, you’ve given me some great ideas of what I can snag next!
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